Children urged to 'get twitching'
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- Category: Education News
Children are being urged to take part in the UK's biggest school bird-watching event. More than 2,000 schools are expected to take part in the RSPB's annual Big Schools' Birdwatch, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.
Children are being urged to take part in the UK's biggest school bird-watching event.
More than 2,000 schools are expected to take part in the RSPB's annual Big Schools' Birdwatch, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The charity is calling on youngsters to help track bird populations by once again counting the birds they see in their school playgrounds.
Since the survey began in 2002, nearly half a million children and teachers have looked for wildlife outside their classroom windows, and more than 70 species have been recorded, from starlings and house sparrows to kestrels and pheasants.
The most commonly spotted bird was the starling up until 2009, when it was knocked off the top spot by the blackbird.
More than four-fifths (85%) of schools reported seeing a blackbird last year, with an average of 4.3 being seen at each school. This makes it the most common visitor to school grounds.
There has also been increases in black-headed gull and carrion crow numbers over the last decade, while numbers of starlings and house sparrows have declined, the survey has shown.
Laura Bowman, RSPB Big Schools' Birdwatch project manager, said: "For the past 10 years, we've been asking young people to count the birds in their school grounds.
"Wild birds are an unbeatable teaching resource and the Big Schools' Birdwatch has allowed thousands of children to be inspired about the wildlife outside their classroom windows.
"The survey also provides a real purpose for their observations as they contribute scientific data. The results help the RSPB to build a picture of birds visiting school grounds and the population changes they are experiencing."
Read the Press Association press release.
Why not take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch happening this weekend. Its something the whole family can do together. Read more about this at the Independent website.
Or Check out the RSPB official website here.
